The Truth
by aShTmEsK
Summary: “Can you believe the nerve of some people, Professah?” Very minor spoilers for Diabolical Box. Rated for a certain implied question that's stated early on in the game. Light fluffiness. R&R!


**A/N #1:**

My first fic on this site! :D

Just to let you all know, I spelled the word _professor _with an "ah" instead of the correct "or" suffix for the sole purpose of emphasizing Luke's Britishy accent.  
Anyway, with that little nugget of knowledge, I so very hope you all enjoy this~!

Oh, and by the way, for those of you who have yet to play PLDB, no rumors are actually spread about the Professor and Luke. I just added it in. There was a question that was... well... questioned about but the subject was quickly changed and so yeah. Just wanted to make that known.

**A/N #2:**

Okay, so the reason I reuploaded this as a second chapter was because the site kinda totally destroyed the first one, taking out spaces and making it so that my spelling and grammar is incorrect. So, here's the revised version that is _not_ a second chapter.

So enjoy it again, please. And sorry for any confusion. Sadly, I did this _before_ I remembered that I could have just _replaced _the chapter instead of reuploading it, deleting the first, and... well, you know. Anyway...

Another thing... the reason I didn't put in anything about Luke being the professor's son is that I haven't played Last Time Travel and I haven't looked into any spoilers for Devil's Flute or anything, so I was just trying to stay away from writing about things that I am not completely sure are canon when it comes to biological relations and such. But that doesn't mean that I don't absolutely love the concept! :D It would make a lot of sense for Layton to be Luke's father, but that just wasn't the direction I had intended to go with writing _this _fic. But for another fic that I might upload some other time, I do attempt to make it so that Layton has much more of a paternal figure to both Luke and Flora alike... but that's a whole different fic entirely.

I own absolutely nothing at all except the ability to type words in such a way that makes a story relating to a game created by Level 5, which happens to be the ones who created the professor of awesomeness - a feat which I was sadly unable to accomplish before they did. ;o;

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"Can you believe the _nerve_ of some people, Professah?" The little blonde re-torted, his voice had grown higher than normal due to his aggravation. The two were just heading out of Dr. Andrew Schrader's apartment, and, for some time, Luke had been anxiously awaiting the moment at which he and Layton came out a certain gruff inspector's sight and ear shot.

Said professor had not reply, but that did not stop Luke from ranting on,

"I mean, _really!_ Justwho does he think he is? I say Inspector Chelmey is in no place to go questioning people's relations! He's part of the Scotland Yard, not some scandalous paparazzi!" What the young cockney was heatedly referring to was, of course, Chelmey's small inquisition that he had been so bold as to make not too soon before the puzzle solving pair had exited the apartment of Professor Layton's own mentor. They were now on the British streets. And as per usually, a crack like that – well, any sort of critical statement from the Inspector, really – sent Luke off.

When he still received no reply, the bright-eyed boy looked up to his mentor, who seemed to be deep in thought, though Luke could not tell if Layton was thinking over the things that his assistant had just brought up so heatedly or the overall case of the mysterious Elysian Box.

Probably the latter, Luke knew. Layton was not one to ignore someone – Luke knew that, as well – but the boy had to make himself remember that his mentor had just experienced the cold horror of seeing the dead body of the man who had taught him _everything_. With this thought, Luke made himself take a deep breath – an act he prided himself in doing since it was without Layton's prompting him to do so – and silently awaited for the reply that, presently, seemed to be taking its own sweet time in making itself heard.

And Luke's waiting and cooling down finally paid off, in the long run.

"Luke?" When he heard his name bluntly murmured, the newsboy-capped lad's head shot up to look Layton in the eyes.

"Yes, Professah?"

"Do you have a problem with being my assistant?" The frank and rather sudden question made Luke's back muscles tense up. It almost enraged him further that his mentor, guardian, and overall hero – much better than any cartoon, _fictional_ hero could ever hope to be – would have the need to ever ask him such a question.

"O-of course _not_, Professah!" Luke said, trying to speak normally and not in a retorting way.

"Nor do I have a problem with being your teacher." Layton's voice was so much lacking any signs of beating around any bushes that it brooded a question from his wide-eyed apprentice,

"Professah… what's that to do with anything?"

"If you're fine with helping me on these mysteries, and I enjoy having you around and teaching you in the ways of being a gentleman and a puzzle master, then I see no problem here."

"W-what?" Luke had to force his voice to stay under a gentlemanly tone, "So you're saying that you've no problem if some dastardly rumor was started about us?" And for the first time since this conversation had been struck up, Layton looked his apprentice in the eyes. Luke thought that this was to show that the archaeologist meant to tell him that he knew just what he was talking about when he said,

"I'm not saying that at _all_, my dear boy." To this Luke had to reply. As they shuffled on down the lamppost dotted sidewalk – side by side, Luke on the right and Layton on the left – the boy resorted to softly biting his lower lip as he awaited the world renowned professor's continuance, "You don't know how much that would hurt me if something of that nature were to happen, Luke. I cannot think of many things that would be worse."

"T-then what _are_ you saying?" Luke asked, the sound of impatience and anger long-gone from his voice, all replaced with curiosity, wonder and anticipation of just what his teacher was getting at.

"The truth, my boy," Layton said, and a short pause rose up for a moment: long enough for the gentleman to put a hand to Luke's shoulder, and turned a bit to the right, leading Luke along with him, so as to get themselves out of the way of other passing pedestrians. They were now right next to a shop window.

Luke knew that _now_ the Professor was very intent on getting something of the utmost importance across – something he wanted to make sure that his assistant knew as well as his own name. This was because the shop that the two had come to be in front of was one of Layton's favorite tea shops, and he had not even given it so much as a glance. He lowered himself onto one knee – an act he did when he wanted to see Luke eye to eye in hopes of getting his point across.

Finally, with both hands rested softly on the boy's two small, blue-clothed shoulders, Layton continued,

"The truth is all that I'm getting at. If anything were to rise up, then you and I would be the main object of the talk. Am I correct in saying this?" Luke only nodded his agreement, so the Professor went on, "Then if _I_ were toknow the truth, and if _you_ were to know the truth, then that's all the really matters, isn't it?

"I guess so, Professah…" Luke said. Signs of confusion still tainted his voice.

"Though indeed," Layton went on, "rumors started and fed by presumptions alone are painful; it should not be something that runs our lives in paranoia. Tall-tale tellers may be able to start gossip and relate to others what their thoughts on are on a certain happening or a situation – take our mentor/apprentice relationship, for example – but we, knowers of the truth, generally tend to reign in authority. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir…" said Luke, taking this all into consideration, and he readily agreed. When the light had been shown on the topic and everything now understood, Luke still had one question remaining unanswered, "Professah?"

"Yes, Luke?" Layton said, standing back up as he and Luke started walking back down the sidewalk, back into the flow of things. Other people walked by them as if nothing had happened. And that was true. Nothing had happened to _them_, anyway.

"'Knowers' isn't a real word, is it?"

"…No, Luke… no it isn't." That being made clear, Luke could not help but let a small giggle out at the sight of the small, ashamed blush that came over his teacher for using a made-up word, accompanied by the familiar twinkle in his eyes that seemed to be almost pitch black.

And it was when all became silent yet again that the boy realized: what does it matter that the world famous archaeologist and puzzle-solving Herschel Layton made up words without realizing it, if only to make a point? It didn't, Luke knew, not at all. At least the top-hatted man could joke about it and was not afraid to admit he had been in grammatical error.

He wished to just stay right there, never leaving Layton's side – and if he ever must it should never be for too long – through whatever fate threw at them in way of this new mystery that had unmercifully taken leave of their attentions, a mystery that bared unsaid opportunities for venturing through places unknown. If Luke could just have that one wish, it would most likely make it so that a term to roughly describe him would be: the happiest child in the world.

And that was all that really mattered to the Professor, anyway.

**A/N #3:**

There have been a few questions recently about what the abovementioned rumor was. I am sorry I did not make it clearer, but it was Inspector Chelmey's little inquiry after Layton and Luke's relationship near the beginning of Diabolical/Pandora's Box, when he says something like "Well… it's really none of my business anyway," as if it was something that he should not get himself too involved with. This was just my take on how that could have been taken differently, and hope this clears things up a bit! Thanks for reading, everyone! o3o


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